Chapter three Echoes

Sleep no longer brought peace to Issac.

Every time he closed his eyes, the same visions returned.

Blood covering his hands.

Swords clashing endlessly.

A dark throne surrounded by shadows.

And crimson eyes filled with pain.

Issac suddenly opened his eyes with a sharp breath.

Sweat covered his forehead as he sat up slowly in the darkness of his room.

Again.

That girl appeared in his dreams again.

The strange girl from the bridge.

The one who somehow knew his name.

Issac pressed a hand against his head quietly.

Ever since meeting her, the visions had become worse.

More real.

More painful.

It felt less like dreams…

and more like memories.

Outside, the rain continued falling softly over universe seven.

Issac slowly stood from his bed and grabbed his hoodie before leaving the small apartment quietly.

He needed air.

The empty streets were calm at this hour, illuminated only by dim lights reflecting against the wet ground.

Yet no matter how far he walked, one thought refused to leave him alone.

Who was she?

And why did seeing her hurt so much?

Issac had tried to forget the girl from the bridge.

He truly had.

But no matter what he did, her face refused to leave his mind.

The sadness in her eyes disturbed him the most.

It was not the expression of someone meeting a stranger.

It was the expression of someone mourning the dead.

And somehow…

that frightened him more than the visions themselves.

Issac stopped near a small convenience store, quietly buying a bottle of water before continuing down the empty streets.

Universe seven never truly slept.

Lights from distant buildings reflected across the wet roads while passing vehicles disappeared into the rain-filled night.

Everything around him looked normal.

Yet his own mind felt completely broken.

Ever since childhood, strange things had followed him.

Moments he could never explain.

Clocks stopping suddenly near him.

Voices whispering his name when nobody was there.

Dreams of places he had never visited.

And now—

her.

The moment she appeared, the visions became clearer.

Sharper.

Real.

Issac tightened his grip around the water bottle.

He hated not understanding himself.

For his entire life, people looked at him differently.

Some feared him.

Others avoided him completely.

Even during battles, soldiers stared at him like he was something unnatural.

Maybe they were right.

Maybe something truly was wrong with him.

The thought alone made his chest feel heavy.

Rain continued falling softly as Issac closed his eyes briefly.

Then suddenly—

footsteps echoed behind him.

Issac stopped walking once he noticed shadows slowly stepping from the alley ahead.

Three men emerged quietly beneath the dim streetlights.

Weapons glinted faintly in their hands.

“So you’re the monster from the battlefield,” one of them sneered.

Issac sighed softly.

Troubles like this happened often after wars.

People feared what they did not understand.

“Move,” Issac said coldly.

The men attacked anyway.

Steel flashed through the darkness.

Issac dodged quickly, striking one of them hard enough to send him crashing into the wall behind him.

But the moment another blade nearly reached his chest—

something inside him snapped.

Pain spread violently beneath his skin.

Black veins slowly crawled across his hands once again.

The air around him suddenly became heavier.

The men froze in fear.

Dark energy flickered violently around Issac as anger flooded through him.

For a moment—

he wanted to destroy them.

Completely.

Then suddenly—

a familiar voice cut through the darkness.

“Issac!”

Everything stopped.

Issac turned sharply.

Star stood several feet away, her crimson eyes filled with alarm.

The moment he saw her—

the darkness weakened instantly.

The black veins slowly faded again.

Issac stared at her silently, breathing unevenly.

Why…?

Why did her voice calm the darkness?

The men quickly fled while fear still filled their faces.

Silence returned once more.

Rain continued falling quietly between them.

Then Issac finally spoke.

“Why do I remember dying whenever I see you?”

Star froze.

Pain flashed briefly across her expression.

For several seconds, she could not answer.

Because the truth was far crueler than he could possibly imagine.

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